Curtain drawing mechanism



May 26, 1970 R. RONFOLA 3,513,

CURTAIN DRAWING MECHANISM Filed June 29, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 WWI/72%? X0504 01/0 flow/3M May 26, 1970 R. RONFOLA CURTAIN DRAWING MECHANISM Fil ed June 29, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 a E wu 4 Sheets-Sheet s P0504. N o Rom.4

R. RONFOLA CURTAIN DRAWING MECHANISM May 26, 1970 Filed June 29, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

R. RONFOLA CURTAIN DRAWING MECHANISM May 26, 1970 Filed June 29, 1967 United States Patent U.S. Cl. 160-126 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for supporting and driving the sides or pieces of curtains and draperies hanging from movable runners adapted to travel along horizontal guideways, said device comprising driving tapes or the like actuated by an electric motor or mechanical means, is characterised in that it further comprises a pair of endless driving tapes disposed side by side along the guideways receiving said supporting runners and adapted to be driven constantly in the same direction by a single motor or a single mechanical device, both tapes having secured there to spaced lugs adapted to engage and drive the supporting runners, the assembly further comprising cam members disposed at the ends of the permissible strokes of said curtains and drapery sides and adapted to engage said driving lugs as they move past in order to cause said lugs to release the runners carried along to said ends.

The present invention relates to means for mounting and driving curtains, shade and draperies disposed on the inner side of windows and the like.

It is already known to provide mechanical devices adapted to drive the sides of curtains and draperies for controlling the opening or closing thereof. These devices comprise as a rule a horizontal rail, usually referred to as a curtain-rod, on which runners are slidably mounted and adapted to have suspended therefrom the pieces of curtains or draperies to be controlled, at least one oi said runners being attached to a cord or string passing over one or a plurality of grooved pulleys.

In devices comprising an electric driving motor this control cord constitutes an endless loop having its ends carried a pair of pulleys of which one is rotatably driven from the motor.

In this case these devices are provided with a reversing switch for reversing the direction of rotation of the driving motor so that the sides of the curtains or draperies can be moved in one and in the other direction. This obviously constitutes a drawback.

On the other hand, it should be noted that in most instances there is jointly provided in front of a same window a single or double curtain constituting the shade and a drapery, usually made of thicker material, disposed on the inner side thereof with respect to the corresponding room. It is therefore necessary to provide two separate devices for mounting and driving the curtain and the drapery. Now, it is clear that this solution is relatively costly.

3,513,900 Patented May 26, 1970 It is therefore the essential object of the present invention to provide a device adapted to support and drive both the curtain and the drapery associated with a same window. This device is designed with a view to require a single driving motor revolving constantly in the same direction in order to simplify the structure of the as sembly and facilitate the maneuvers of this device.

A device for supporting and driving the sides or pieces of curtains and draperies hanging from movable runners adapted to travel along horizontal guideways, said device comprising driving tapes or the like actuated by an elec tric motor or mechanical means, is characterised in that it further comprises a pair of endless driving tapes disposed side by side along the guideways receiving said supporting runners and adapted to be driven constantly in the same direction by a single motor or a single mechanical device, both tapes having secured-thereto spaced lugs adapted to engage and drive the supporting runners, the assembly further comprising cam members disposed at the ends of the permissible strokes of said curtains and drapery sides and adapted to engage said driving lugs as they move past in order to cause said lugs to release the runners carried along to said ends.

An original feature of this driving mechanism is that it takes advantages of the movement in the opposite direction of the two superposed spans of the loop-forming tapes for driving the movable runners supporting the curtains and draperies in one direction and subsequently in the opposite direction, without having to reverse the direction of rotation of the motor.

Other features and advantages of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating diagrammatically by way of example typical forms of embodiment of the device constituting the subject-matter of this invention. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a device constructed according to the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2A is a front elevational view, partly in section, of the device of FIG. 1 as seen from line 2A2A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 2B is a longitudinal section taken along line 2B2B of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross sections take upon the lines III-III and IVIV of FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively;

FIGS. 5A and 5B, 6A and 6B and 7A and 7B are views similar to FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrating different positions of the movable members of the device.

In the example illustrated in the drawing the device according to this invention consists essentially of a horizontal bar 1 secured to the bottom of a channel member 2 of which the two sides 2a and 2b extend vertically on either side of the bar 1 and are somewhat spaced therefrom. This device is adapted to be secured horizontally along the upper edge of a window by means of suitable fastening members.

The vertical sides 2a and 2b of channel 2 are adapted to constitute guideways for the movable supports or runners of the curtains or draperies to be driven. These supports consist of bent rigid strips adapted to engage straddlewise the upper edge of the aforesaid vertical sides 2a and 2b, the supports or runners of the curtain being disposed on one vertical side 2b and those of the drapery on the other vertical side 2a.

In the example illustrated the device is designed for simultaneously driving the two-sided curtain and a drapery also of the two-sided type. The various curtain and drapery sides or lateral pieces are provided to this end with a plurality of movable supports or runners disposed at spaced intervals along their top edges.

However, to simplify the drawing only two supports are shown, one for the drapery and the other for the curtain, namely supports 3a and 4a, and supports 3b and 4b, which are secured to the adjacent corners of the two lateral pieces of each one of these curtain or drapery.

The driving mechanism of this device comprises two endless tapes 5a and 5b adapted to drive respectively the curtain sides and the drapery sides.

At one end, these tapes pass over driving pulleys 6a and 6b driven from a small electric motor 7. At their opposite ends these two tapes are disposed on return pulleys 8a and 8b.

On the other hand the two upper and lower spans of each tape are disposed in grooves 9a, 10a and 9b, 10b formed in said bar 1, these grooves opening at the faces of bar 1 which register with said lateral sides 2a and 2b, and also at the ends of the bar. Furthermore, this bar comprises other similar grooves 11 constituting slideways to guide pins carried by the movable supports 3a, 4a and 3b, 4b of the relevant sides of the curtain and drapery to be driven.

In fact, the movable support or runner 3a carries two guide pins 12a and 13a disposed respectively above the upper face of the upper span of tape 5a, and above the upper face of the lower span of the same tape, as shown.

The other support or runner 4a carries two guide pins 12a and 13m disposed in the same fashion. The two pins 12a engage a common groove 11 of bar 1 which extends above the upper span of tape 5a. Besides, the two guide pins 13a engage another groove 11 formed just above the lower span of the same tape.

The runner 3b of one of the curtain sides carries two guide pins 12b and 13b disposed respectively against the lower face of the upper span of tape 5b and against the upper face of the lower span of the same tape 5b. These two guide pins engage a pair of grooves 11 formed in bar 1 between the two spans of this tape.

On the other hand, runner 4b carries two guide pins 12c and 130 disposed respectively against the upper face of the upper span of tape 5b and against the lower face of the lower span of the same tape, these two guide pins engaging guide-grooves 11 formed on either side of said spans.

The tape 5a provided for driving the drapery sides carries a pair of lugs 16a and 17a adapted to engage and thus carry along the two guide pins of runners 3a and 4a and consequently drive these runners.

Each lug consists of a small rigid strip bent at right angles and having one leg secured to the tape 50 and the other leg disposed externally of said bar 1. In this respect it may be pointed out that the corresponding member of lug 16a projects externally from the loop constituted by said tape, as contrasted with the similar member of lug 17a which projects internally from the same loop.

On the other hand these two lugs 16a and 17a are disposed at spaced intervals along the tape 50: in such a manner that they can be positioned simultaneously in the central portion of the device as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

On the other hand, the tape 5b for driving the drapery sides carries a pair of similar lugs 16b and 17b, of which the former projects to the outside of the loop formed by the corresponding loop, the latter projecting to the inside of this loop. The two lugs are adapted to engage and push the guide pins 12b and 13b, 12c and 130 of the pair of runners 3b and 4b.

However, the respective positions of lugs 16a and 17a on the one hand, and 16b and 17 b on the other hand, are such that when the first pair of lugs is disposed in the intermediate portion of the device the other pair is located 4 in the vicinity of the ends thereof, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

When the two series of driving lugs are positioned as set forth in the preceding paragraph, the two sides of the drapery and curtain are in their closed position.

To open the curtain and drapery, it is only necessary to energize the driving motor 7 by actuating the switch provided to this end. Thus the motor 7 drives the two tapes 5:: and 5b in the direction of the arrow F. Under these conditions, the lug 16a carried by tape 5a will push the guide pin 12a of runner 3a in the direction of the arrow F and lug 17a will push on the other hand the guide pin 13a of runner 4a in the direction of the arrow F Thus, the two sides of the drapery open simultaneously.

However, during this operation, the two sides of the curtain remain closed for the lugs 16b and 17b carried by tape 5b had previously been moved away from the guide pins of the pair of runners 3b and 4b.

Registering with the two ends of the driving tape 5: are a pair of cams respectively 180 and 19m adapted to control the release of the guide pins 12a and 13a carried along by the pair of runners, this release taking place at the ends of the opening stroke of the drapery sides.

Each cam consists of a member secured to the relevant face of bar 1 and provides a cam face engageable by the corresponding runner 16a or 17a. This is attended by momentary deflection of the path followed by the lug which moves away from the guide pin hitherto carried along by this lug and which is thus left in the position contemplated (see FIG. 5A).

If the operator wishes to simply open the two sides of the drapery, it is only necessary to stop the motor at this position. On the other hand, if it is desired to open also the two sides of the curtain, the motor is allowed to run until the curtain is open.

In fact, the two lugs 16b and 17b carried by the endless tape 5b engage respectively the guide pin 130 of runner 4b and the guide pin 12b of runner 3b.

Under these conditions, these lugs will subsequently push these two guide pins and carry along the relevant runners in the direction of the arrows F and F thus obviously opening the two sides of the curtain.

However, during this operation both lugs 16a and 17:: carried by the other tape 5a are inoperative as far as the guide pins of the drapery runner guide pins are concerned.

At the two ends of the endless taps 5b a pair of cams 18b and 19b are also provided and serve the same purpose as the aforesaid cams 18a and 19a registering with tape 5a. In fact, these two cams are designed to cause the release of guide pins 12b and 130 by means of the driving lugs 17b and 16b respectively (see FIG. 6B).

Thus, in the position illustrated in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B the two curtain sides are open, as well as the two sides of the drapery.

However, to reclose these curtain and drapery it is only necessary for the operator to re-start the motor 7 in the same direction as before.

In any case, according to a specific feature of this invention, this motor always rotates in the same direction so as to drive the two tapes 5a and 5b in the direction of the arrow F. However, it may be noted that the device is arranged to close the two sides of the curtain before closing the two sides of the drapery. In fact, the lug 18b projecting to the inside of the loop formed by the tape 5b is adapted to engage the guide pin 13b of runner 3b and to drive same in the direction of the arrow F (see FIG. 7B), after having pushed the other guide pin 12b of the same runner in the opposite direction.

The same applies to lug 16b which engages and carries along in the direction of the arrow F the guide pin of runner 4b.

Thus, each lug controls only a predetermined side of the curtain, whether in the opening direction or in the closing direction.

Registering with the central portion of the endless tape b are two cams 2011 having a function similar to that of cams 18b and 1%. In fact, these cams 20b are provided for controlling the release of the guide pins 13b and 120 by the two runners 3b and 4b so that these runners remain stationary in the position corresponding to the closing of the two curtain sides.

Meanwhile, that is, during the opening and closing of the two curtain sides, the lugs 16a and 17a for driving the two drapery sides remained inoperative. In fact, when the lug 16a moves past the lower guide pin 13!: of runner 3a, it cannot actuate this pin since the lug 16a. projects on the outside of the tape loop as this guide pin lies above the lower span of the same tape. Similarly, the lug 17a cannot engage the upper guide pin 12a of runner 4a.

Eventually, it is only when the two curtain sides have been closed completely that the lug 16a can engage the upper guide pin 12a of runner 4a and carry it along in the direction of the arrow F whilst the lug 17a engages the guide pin 13a of runner 3a and carries along same in the direction of the arrow F to begin the closing movement of the drapery sides.

Of course, a pair of cams 20a having the same functions as the aforesaid cams 20b are provided in the intermediate portion of tape 5a. In fact, these cams are adapted to control the release of the guide pins previously driven by the pair of lugs 16a and 17a so that the two runners 3a and 4a are held against motion in the open position of the two drapery sides.

Under these conditions, the movable members of the device are moved back to the position illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B and the assembly is ready again for operating as in the above-described case. It is an essential feature of this device that advantage is taken of the movements in opposite directions of the two spans of each driving tape for controlling both the curtain sides and the drapery sides, whereby these tapes can be driven in only one direction under all circumstances.

According to another advantageous and obvious feature of this invention the device constituting the subjectmatter thereof comprises a single motor for driving the curtain sides and the drapery sides. For this reason, the control maneuvers necessary for operating the device are extremely simple since it is only necessary to actuate time, in the same manner, a switch, for example a push-button switch or contact, for energizing the electric motor of the device.

Moreover, the operation of this device is particularly reliable. In fact, its various movable parts are perfectly guided, notably by the guide grooves formed in the horizontal bar. Besides, the fact that the spans of the two driving tapes are housed in some of these grooves, and that the guide pins engage other grooves of said bar, is also advantageous in that the various movable parts are safely protected.

On the other hand, this device is also attended by substantial advantages from the point of view of the hanging or mounting of the curtain and drapery sides or lateral pieces. In fact, these are supported by runners in the form of riders whereby it is only necessary to dispose them straddlewise on the upper edge of the two lateral sides 2a and 2b of channel 2 for properly hanging the curtain and drapery sides. Thus, the curtain and drapery sides can be hung and removed very easily and rapidly.

On the other hand, the structure characterising the present device is particularly simple. In this respect it may be noted that the grooved bar 1 may consist of a section member of adequate cross-sectional contour adapted to be manufactured by extruding a suitable plastic material. The same applies to the channel member 2, provided that a flange is added to each end thereof. Besides, the bar 1 and channel 2 may be cut from a same stock of adequate cross-sectional contour. However, it

may be advantageous to manufacture these parts separately, the channel 2 consisting in this case of a metal U-section in order to impart a sufiicient strength to the assembly.

It is clear that the device described hereinabove should not be construed as limiting the present invention, since this form of embodiment is given by way of example only. Thus, the driving mechanism proper may be separate from the other members described hereinabove.

In this case the mechanism may consist simply of a pair of endless tapes 5a and 5b provided with driving lugs adapted to carry along certain movable supports to which the upper edge of the curtains or draperies to be controlled are secured, these supports being mounted on separate slideways.

On the other hand, the above-described form of em' bodiment of the device constituting the subject-matter of the present invention is adapted to undergo a number of modifications and variations, according to the specific cases and applications contemplated. In fact, in the example illustrated the device is specially designed for simultaneously controlling a bilaterial or two-sided curtain and also a two-sided drapery.

However, this device may also be arranged for controlling a one-piece curtain associated with a two-sided drapery, or vice-versa, or alternately a one-piece curtain associated with a one-piece drapery. If desired, the device may be arranged for controlling only a oneor two-sided curtain, or a single drapery having one or two sides.

In fact, according to the specific case contemplated, it is only necessary to modify the position of the lugs carried by the driving tapes and also the arrangement of the guide pins co-acting with these lugs, and also the arrangement of the cams provided for releasing the guide pins at the end of their strokes.

Besides, the device according to this invention afiords a great number of difierent combinations for adjusting separately or synchronizing the movements of curtains and draperies, whether of the one-piece or two-sided type.

Furthermore, it may be noted that the electric driving motor contemplated in the above-described example may be replaced by any other suitable driving means, such as a manual driving mechanism adapted to be driven constantly in the same direction.

Two sided curtain as used herein means curtains or drapes which are moved apart to an open position and together to a closed position.

What I claim is:

1. A device for supporting and driving curtains and draperies, which comprises in combination at least two horizontal guideways extending along the upper edge of said curtains and draperies, supports movably mounted in said guideways and having suspended therefrom said curtain and draperies, two endless driving tapes disposed side by side along said movable support guideways, a single mechanism adapted to drive said tapes constantly in the same direction, lugs carried by said tapes and adapted to engage and carry along the movable supports disposed at the ends of said curtains and draperies, stationary cams located at the points corresponding to the ends of the opening and closing strokes of said curtains and draperies, said cams being adapted to engage said driving lugs as they pass by said points and cause said lugs to release the movable supports driven to said points.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises a horizontal bar formed with longitudinal grooves adapted to receive freely said pair of driving tapes, other longitudinal grooves also provided in said bar for acting as guideways to pins carried by those movable supports which are to be carried along by said lugs, said guide pins being disposed against the upper face or the lower face of each one of the two spans of said pair of driving tapes.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said guideways for said movable supports of said curtains and draperies consist of a pair of vertical wings solid with a channel section carrying said grooved bar on its bottom.

4. A device as set forth in claim '2, wherein the lugs carried by said endless tapes consist of a rigid strip bent at right angles and secured to the edge of said tapes with one leg projecting from the grooves of said horizontal bar so as to engage the guide pins of said movable supports to be driven.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4, wherein said cams adapted to control the release of said movable supports by said driving lugs consist of members secured to the side faces of said horizontal bar and provided with cam faces adapted to cause a momentary deflection of the path of said driving lugs and therefore said driving lugs to release the guide pins of the driven supports.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,480,918 1/1924 Szirmay 160331 1,554,863 9/1925 Machowicz 160-426 PETER M, CAUN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 160330 

